In a recent interview with Eurogamer BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk insist their studio still has "huge autonomy," and that EA isn't some sinister force calling the shots from behind a curtain.

"We're not being forced to do anything or told to do anything. We make the decisions. We take input," says Zeschuk. "It's just funny when people say that, because it's not actually remotely true."

"The key is to never lose sight of the fact that, at the end of the day, we're making entertainment and art," Muzyka adds. "We're tying to make a fun experience for the fans. They're one of our key stake holders and we have to deliver and exceed their expectations."

So looks like EA isn't to blame for one Origin fiasco.

What the article doesn't tell you about is the EA hired Hitman who had his sights set on both of the co-founders.

Qitz:In a recent interview with Eurogamer BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk insist their studio still has "huge autonomy," and that EA isn't some sinister force calling the shots from behind a curtain.

"We're not being forced to do anything or told to do anything. We make the decisions. We take input," says Zeschuk. "It's just funny when people say that, because it's not actually remotely true."

"The key is to never lose sight of the fact that, at the end of the day, we're making entertainment and art," Muzyka adds. "We're tying to make a fun experience for the fans. They're one of our key stake holders and we have to deliver and exceed their expectations."

So looks like EA isn't to blame for one Origin fiasco.

What the article doesn't tell you about is the EA hired Hitman who had his sights set on both of the co-founders.

Yeah. It sounds plausible given a number of things like how EA had Bioware well before Mass Effect 1 and Dragon Age came out.

However, this doesn't sound very sincere. Especially if, "we are EA, we're BioWare - we're both, and we still have huge autonomy in terms of what we do," is in any way true. By admitting that, they are admitting that part of EA is within their company culture, which directly impacts them.

No matter how they like to spin it, Bioware has some of EA's blood in their veins now, and that does affect the corporate/developmental body to a degree.

Elmoth:This is even worse. They admit to to be themselves responsable for their change from respectable rpg developers, to the creators of hollywood action movies, disguised as rpgs.

I don't think that's fair. Dragon Age and Mass Effect are both exceptional RPG's, but each has a different way of approaching the genre. Dragon Age is a more traditional RPG, while Mass Effect is a hybrid of RPG and TPS. Neither genre is more "valid" than the other.

Qitz:In a recent interview with Eurogamer BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk insist their studio still has "huge autonomy," and that EA isn't some sinister force calling the shots from behind a curtain.

"We're not being forced to do anything or told to do anything. We make the decisions. We take input," says Zeschuk. "It's just funny when people say that, because it's not actually remotely true."

"The key is to never lose sight of the fact that, at the end of the day, we're making entertainment and art," Muzyka adds. "We're tying to make a fun experience for the fans. They're one of our key stake holders and we have to deliver and exceed their expectations."

So looks like EA isn't to blame for one Origin fiasco.

What the article doesn't tell you about is the EA hired Hitman who had his sights set on both of the co-founders.

Well, you have to understand that there is no way ANYONE is going to come out and say "yep, we sold out big time... keep that money rolling in". Annoucements like this are intended as PR damage control more or less.

In general you have to judge things by the behaviors you see. Has "Bioware" been acting differnatly and developing differantly since the EA take over? Yes they have. What's more the differances you see are along the lines of the developing practices that people have been criticizing EA for to begin with.

A sell out coming up and saying "I'm not a sell out" doesn't mean much, it's par for the course. While there are exceptions, you need to either expect silence or denial, what's more it's quite possible Bioware itself is in denial over what it's turning into, that happens with those who sell out, especially if it happens gradually from their perspective. Many people have gradually changed, and eventually wound up being everything they professed to hate or set out to diffrentiate themselves from.

So the shitfest that was Dragon Age 2 was entirely Biowares doing? Well then, even more reasons to stop considering Bioware a good RPG developer. Then again, it's quite obvious EA IS pulling the strings and no amount of PR talk will ever make me believe otherwise.

Bioware=EA. That has always been the case. No one is twisting their arm when they make a shitty game or a poor decision. It's always been on Bioware. People like to make excuses for them, but they don't really hold up considering how large a chunk of EA Bioware makes up.

Elmoth:This is even worse. They admit to to be themselves responsable for their change from respectable rpg developers, to the creators of hollywood action movies, disguised as rpgs.

I don't think that's fair. Dragon Age and Mass Effect are both exceptional RPG's, but each has a different way of approaching the genre. Dragon Age is a more traditional RPG, while Mass Effect is a hybrid of RPG and TPS. Neither genre is more "valid" than the other.

Elmoth:This is even worse. They admit to to be themselves responsable for their change from respectable rpg developers, to the creators of hollywood action movies, disguised as rpgs.

Because a developer should always stick to making the same genre games in the same rigid ways for years and years. Goddamn you Bioware for making games differently these days!

This is not what I'm saying at all. I'm not saying their games need to be more traditional. I'm saying that mass effect 2 and dragon age 2 are fun, but don't have the same believable world and story as their predecessors.

Elmoth:This is even worse. They admit to to be themselves responsable for their change from respectable rpg developers, to the creators of hollywood action movies, disguised as rpgs.

Which are actually way better than "traditional" RPG's.

*applauds loudly* Well said, good sir. Or ma'am, just in case.

Except for the fact that Bioware doesn't really make great action games. Mass Effect 2 is good as an action game, but not exceptional. It's still the stories and characters that make their games exceptional.

On topic:

Well, what do you expect them to say? "Yeah, EA is totally pulling our strings. From behind, while they pound you right in the... wait, are the cameras still rolling?"

OK, there is a possibility that they're actually telling the truth and that EA really, honestly, and truly aren't pulling any of their strings. They might actually want to make hollywood action games with a thin RPG layer because a whole lot of people enjoy those games more.

Whatever. I'm still getting Mass Effect 3, and so are a whole lot of naysayers who shake their heads in shame. We're going to see the same thing with Modern Warfare 3.

This is not what I'm saying at all. I'm not saying their games need to be more traditional. I'm saying that mass effect 2 and dragon age 2 are fun, but don't have the same believable world and story as their predecessors.

*opinion incoming*

I actually thought Mass Effect 1 and 2 were equally believable as worlds full of characters, aliens, and hyperadvanced technology. It's just the jump in TPS quality that made ME2 so much better than its frankly just-OK predecessor.

I guess this a byproduct of not playing RPG's as a kid at all, but any game who depends far more on stats than skill to win just doesn't feel right. In fact, it often feels very, very wrong.

Elmoth:This is even worse. They admit to to be themselves responsable for their change from respectable rpg developers, to the creators of hollywood action movies, disguised as rpgs.

I don't think that's fair. Dragon Age and Mass Effect are both exceptional RPG's, but each has a different way of approaching the genre. Dragon Age is a more traditional RPG, while Mass Effect is a hybrid of RPG and TPS. Neither genre is more "valid" than the other.

He obviously meant the latest installations of their trademarks (DA-2 and ME-2)

At this point, I don't Really give a crap if they are "controlled" by EA or not as long as the games they are putting out are good. Ive never played dragon age or dragon age 2, but I loved both Mass effect games to death. I'm sorry, the argument "mass effect 2 is and mass effect 3 will not be good gamees because they are not traditional rpgs" to be kind of bs.

Elmoth:This is even worse. They admit to to be themselves responsable for their change from respectable rpg developers, to the creators of hollywood action movies, disguised as rpgs.

Which are actually way better than "traditional" RPG's.

Pfffffhahahahahahahaha Yeah right.

OT: I really dont give a shit about Bioware anymore. I hope Mass Effect 3 turns out half decent and thats it really. Dragon Age was never that outstanding, im not an MMO player and... Yeah. They just dont have any IP that interests me, and judging by their actions lately they wont be doing anything crazy like making a new one.

lord.jeff:It still surprises me how much bad blood there is for Bioware doing hybrid RPGs instead of only doing traditional ones.

I'm not sure that there is, necessarily. It's more that the games are inferior.

I've not actually played Dragon Age 2, but I found the demo boring.. It took me 3 attempts to complete it. I was playing the demo to make a choice between a game I really wanted (DA2), and a game I was less bothered about, when i needed something to play. And I bought neither...

And: Whatever you think about the various merits of their games, Bioware have ALWAYS put a lot of love and time into them. Dragon Age 1 was in development for like 6 years.

And then Dragon Age 2 comes out less than a yr after DA1 is all wrapped up? They've moved to a much more money-churn cycle, at the expense of depth and quality (they even admitted that re-using areas was because they were rushed).

If that's not EA's fault, then Bioware have changed up their development cycle, and it's totally motivated by profit, rather than quality and profit..

Yes because Bioware is a golden god and EA is the devil. Brilliant job reducing the two companies down into paper thin stereotypes guys.

I think its funny that people hate EA so much that Bioware has to publicly distance themselves from their publisher like this. Its like singers saying that a company publishes their records but other then that they have no affiliation. This is just silly, EA needs to change their name and start fresh.